Fastnet Rock Mare Strikes Late For Group 3 Success

One Master (6m Fastnet Rock - Enticing, by Pivotal) was delivered with a late flourish to take the Group 3 Saint Clair Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood on Friday.

The William Haggas-trained mare finished a close fourth in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes last time out and was sent off favourite as she dropped back to seven furlongs. Racing in midfield on the inside rail, she became short of room with over two furlongs left to race and at that stage, looked an unlikely winner. Squeezing through a gap inside the final furlong, she quickened home well to deny Valeria Messalina (Holy Roman Emperor) in the shadow of the post.

William Haggas later complimented his charge’s great turn of foot and on future plans, commented, “The City of York will be next and then the Foret - she wants seven furlongs and soft ground.”

Friday provided the Lael Stables homebred with her fifth Stakes success, her career-best performances having come in the aforementioned Prix de la Foret, which she won in 2018 and 2019.

It’s been a successful week for Fastnet Rock mares, with Group 1 Australian Oaks heroine Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) having fetched $2.75million at the Magic Millions National Sale on Monday afternoon.